Football Chicken Empanadas Recipe

Dough

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.
2. Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in the shortening until you have a coarse meal.
3. Whisk the egg with ¼ cup of the milk.
4. Add the egg mixture, one tablespoon at a time, and toss with a fork or spatula to moisten the flour mixture.
5. Add the remaining milk, one tablespoon at a time, and toss the dough until you have a dough that will hold together into a ball.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a long rectangle.
7. Trifold the dough, like a business letter, and then roll out to a rectangle again.
8. Trifold one more time and roll out to a square about ½-inch thick.
9. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to two days.

Filling

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over med-high heat for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the onion and peppers and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the chicken, broth, tomato paste, garlic powder, onion powder, cilantro, smoked paprika, oregano, coriander and salt. Stir to combine.
5. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has been absorbed.
6. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before filling dough. Filling may be made in advance and refrigerated.

Assembly

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. Roll out dough to roughly 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
3. Use a 2×3.5-inch football shaped cookie cutter to cut out 36 footballs, rerolling the dough as needed.
4. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of half the footballs.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Use a pastry brush to apply the egg wash to the dough all around the filling.
6. Place another cut out on top of the filled one and use a fork to crimp and seal the edges.
7. Repeat with all the cut outs.
8. Use remaining egg wash to brush the tops of all the empanadas.
9. Place them on the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes.
10. Serve with salsa or cheese dip.

Optional Preparation for Crispy Empanadas

Heat enough Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening to reach 3 inches of depth in a saucepan or fryer when melted. Heat to 365°F and fry empanadas in batches to not overcrowd them. Cook 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel.